1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of imaging systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and system for imaging a human body for the purpose of identification or body measurement for use in a plurality of consumer markets including apparel and furniture design.
2. Background of the Prior Art
For a number of years human beings have been typed by body weight, body shape, dimensions and even skin color and type. It is known that genetically human beings are nearly 95% similar. Pronounced and individualistic traits have been stored and catalogued for many years, such as fingerprints, footprints, and eye scans. More recently palm prints, wrist veins, and voice prints are all used for individual identification and recognition systems. The shape, size, and contour of other body parts could be found to be just as individualistic as fingerprints and palm prints. The exact size, shape, contour and finite dimensions of a human ear or contour of a nose, or curvature of the forehead could be utilized for positively identifying an individual human being one from another, especially if several body parts are measured, catalogued and stored and then compared as a group for purposes of positively identifying that individual at a later date. In fact, the authentication process of positively identifying someone could be effectively performed from some distance, and without physical contact, such as may be required in the case of fingerprints or an eye scan.
In recent years, the popularization of the Internet has spawned a new form of retailing and advertising such that the term “virtual” has been used in common practice to describe a “book store,” “drug store,” or “clothing store.” A recent invention entitled “Touch and Feel” discloses a method to examine a book on the Internet, the same way one would browse a few pages of a book in a physical real world bookstore, to establish one's interest in purchasing that book. Nearly every possible product or good known to man is offered for sale today on the Internet, either by retail merchants or via Internet auctions.
Clothing goods can be colorfully shown and offered for sale on the Internet from merchants around the world, such as silk suits from Asia, Italian shoes from Italy, French fashion from Paris or suits and dresses offered by top retailers in the U.S. to foreigners around the globe. Understandably, a buyer of clothing on the Internet might be reluctant to purchase goods made overseas, even at a very attractive price, due to the likelihood that clothing purchased via the Internet may not fit properly. This fear could be allayed if the buyer had ample statistical information catalogued about their individual body type, size, build, and measurements to pass to the clothing merchant via the Internet. Given enough information, a merchant could absolutely guarantee a perfect fit of the garment, as if the buyer had stopped over to their store for a fitting in Hong Kong, for example. The present invention provides the necessary data for a perfect fit.